Savanna

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Savanna William Huang, Joanna Lam, Eddy Chiang

=__Introduction: __=

Savannas are grasslands scattered with shrubs and deciduous trees and an abundance of animals. Located near the equator, this biome experiences distinct dry and wet periods. However, savannas typically have longer dry seasons than wet ones. These inadequate conditions make it hard for vegetation to survive. In addition, the vegetation that is able to survive faces dangers such as fires and animal grazing. As a result, savannas usually remain clear open landscapes with little vegetation, but many grazing animals.

These pictures are accurate representations of the savanna's clear open landscape

__Location: __

Grouped with the tropical category savannas are located close to the equator. Most savannas are between 0° (equator) and 30° north and south latitude which covers parts of Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia.



As shown on the map savannas are located in four out of the seven continents: South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

__Temperature and Precipitation: __ Although savannas appear dry and hot, they are actually moderate. During the winter (dry season) temperatures range from 68°F to 86°F. Meanwhile, during the summer (wet season) temperatures increase a bit ranging from 78°F to 88°F. As shown temperatures fluctuate a bit, but generally stay in the 68°F to 88°F

Savannas typically have two seasons, a dry one and a wet one. Almost all of the savanna's precipitation occur during the wet season which is from the middle of November to the beginning of May. In this little over five month period, a savanna receives about 100 inches of rain total, which is an average of nearly 20 inches per month. In contrast, during the dry season a savanna will only receive about 4 inches total.

This is chart compares savannas to other ecosystems, effectively showing its low annual precipitation and high average temperature

__Flora and Fauna: __

<span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;">Conditions in savannas make plant growth extremely difficult. In order to survive, plants must be able to endure droughts for nearly half a year. As a result, plants that are unadapted to these conditions do not survive. Trees present in the savanna biome have long an extensive taproot system to reach the deep water table, leaf growth is sometimes concentrated at the top of the tree. Still, tree and shrub growth in the savanna biome is sparse when compared to deciduous forest regions, but more abundant that desert or grassland regions. This is why the savanna biome is considered a transitional biome between forest and desert or grassland. The savanna biome is characterized by abundant wild grass; they are the most important produces in the biome and the main food source for primary consumers. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;">Since the savanna biome is abundantly found on Africa, many animals that characterize the biome are native to the continent. These animals include the African elephant, lion, leopard, zebra, and crocodile. Invertebrate in the savanna biome include beetles, grasshoppers, and termites. In Australia, animals exclusive to the continent that inhabit savanna regions include marsupials such as the kangaroo.

These are some of the many animals that live in savannas

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Human Impact: __ <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: center;">Humans can impact savannas both positively and negatively. One way that savannas are positively impacted by humans is through indigenous people. Their farming techniques, which involves animal grazing, don't put too much strain on the ecosystem and gives it time to recover. However, humans can also have negative effects on savannas through actions like safari tours. These tours cause damage to the vegetation and scare of the wildlife. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; vertical-align: sub;">The left picture shows the good people can do for an ecosystem, while the right pictureshows the harm.

__<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 22px;">Sources: __
 * "Precipitation, Temperature, & Soil." Savanna. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2015. <http://savannatprimosch.weebly.com/precipitation-temperature--soil.html>.
 * "Savanna." Ecosystems. Learn on the Internet, 2009. Web. 24 Jan. 2015. <http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/savanna.html>.
 * Schaffner, Brynn. "Savanna Biomes." Savanna Biomes. N.p., 2010. Web. 25 Jan. 2015. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm>.